By Ayomide Otitoju
President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the family, friends and associates of former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo, who passed away on Wednesday.
The President’s message was conveyed in a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu described the late scholar as a towering figure in African literature, postcolonial studies and cultural theory, whose incisive interpretations of the works of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, earned him global acclaim. He said Professor Jeyifo would be deeply missed for his intellectual depth and enduring impact on literary scholarship.
The President also recalled the late academic’s temperance, foresight and wisdom during his years of service as ASUU President, noting that he provided principled leadership and helped shape constructive negotiation frameworks with government aimed at improving working conditions and the learning environment in Nigerian universities.
Tinubu said Jeyifo’s unwavering advocacy for academic freedom and social justice would remain a defining part of his legacy, adding that his influence in political and cultural journalism would continue to inspire generations of scholars, writers and activists he mentored.
The President condoled with ASUU, the Nigerian Academy of Letters, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Oberlin College, Cornell University and Harvard University, where the late scholar studied, taught and made significant contributions to African literary studies.
He described Jeyifo as an intellectual giant and outstanding global citizen who devoted his life to knowledge production and the promotion of human dignity, noting that he shared a longstanding personal relationship with the deceased.
Tinubu prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
Professor Jeyifo was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential literary critics and public intellectuals. He received several honours during his lifetime, including the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2019.
